


All Of Your Glory

by exysexual



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Hogwarts AU, M/M, Slow Burn, operation make friends with neil
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-14
Updated: 2018-01-21
Packaged: 2018-12-29 19:32:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12091899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exysexual/pseuds/exysexual
Summary: It’s Neil’s seventh year and he intends to keep his head down and remain unnoticed until graduation. This strategy has worked just fine for him up until now.Unfortunately (or fortunately) things don't go as planned.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fic I've posted on here so apologies in advance if there are any mistakes. I'm just going to clarify a few changes I have made to the canon universe. In this au the timeline is quite different, they are all in their seventh year at Hogwarts because it suited the plot better to have them all be the same age. Therefore Nicky isn't Andrew and Aaron's guardian, Wymack is. There are other slight changes that have been made to suit the au and those will just come along as I keep writing, hopefully it's nothing too drastic. Also the title is from the song "All Of Your Glory" by Broods, it's on Nora's playlist. Enjoy the first chapter, I'm not sure how long this will be :)

Andrew was already regretting giving into Nicky and his promise of a “quiet night” and “just you, me and Kevin, I swear.”

He hadn’t even finished his first drink and already their dorm was insufferably stuffy; packed with far too many bodies and far too many voices shouting over one another, struggling to be heard. 

He hadn’t really had a choice in the matter; sharing a dorm with Nicky that is.

The minute they had stepped into the Slytherin common room Nicky had grabbed Andrew’s trunk (he had learnt from experience not to grab Andrew himself) and raced up the stairs (or tried to as he struggled with both their belongings) as he checked out the available dorms and managed to get the two of them the best room in the dungeons. At the time he hadn’t complained, because really, there hadn’t been anything to complain about. 

The room was one of the few with only two beds, majority of the other seventh years were sharing in rooms of four. During his earlier years at Hogwarts, when he had roomed with five of his housemates, Andrew had mastered the art of privacy spells. He would spend majority of his time in his dorm, on his four-poster bed with his curtains drawn tight; a clear message. The few times people had tried to disturb him, whether it be as a dare or just plain curiosity, they had soon enough learnt just how good Andrew’s privacy charms were and just how painful a potions textbook to the head was. Eventually the only person in his house who had the nerve to talk to him was Nicky, and Andrew wasn’t sure that counted considering they were related.

It had slipped his mind when they arrived that they would no longer be in the dorms they had shared since first year, that seventh years got rooms in the new wing of the dungeon that was built after the war. He ultimately preferred it, as majority of the time Nicky would crash with his boyfriend Erik in Hufflepuff and Andrew would have the room to himself.

It was nights like tonight however that made Andrew wonder why he hadn’t just kicked Nicky out and kept the room for himself. Nicky could have easily bunked in with some of his other housemates, there was surely a couple of spare beds or at least a couch.

“Andrew!” Nicky stumbled over to him, a half empty bottle of firewhiskey clutched to his chest. He collapsed gracelessly onto the armchair that Andrew had claimed at the beginning of the night. It was in the corner of their dorm and really only meant for one person. Nicky was half on his lap and Andrew gritted his teeth in the effort not to shove him onto the floor.

“Want a sip?” Nicky held the bottle out to Andrew.

Andrew just scowled at Nicky, who pouted in response.

“I’m sorry,” he whined, “I really only meant to invite Kevin but then Allison overheard and I couldn’t just not invite her and then-"

Andrew cut off Nicky’s ramblings as he grabbed the firewhiskey, took a swig and pushed Nicky unceremoniously off his lap. He strode to the other side of the room, ignoring Nicky’s affronted gasp and indignant shout as Andrew took the bottle with him.

He sat down on the edge of Nicky’s bed, next to Renee, who was in the midst of a conversation with Allison and Dan. She turned to smile at him before saying to Allison, “I mean, I don’t know, I feel like we can’t really judge him without having spoken to him, maybe he’s just shy?”

Allison shook her head before Renee was even finished, “No, he’s fucking weird. He’s been here since what - beginning of sixth year? And he still hasn’t said a word to any of us besides “excuse me”. All he does is study. There’s something dodgy going on there”

Andrew wasn’t going to ask who they were discussing, because he didn’t care.

“Well, maybe we should try talking to him?” Dan suggested, a bit half-heartedly in Andrew’s opinion.

Allison scoffed, “I said hello to him once and he just stared at me for a solid minute before leaving the common room.”

“Perhaps we need to try harder than hello?” said Renee softly.

Allison shrugged, “Whatever, but if Neil won’t talk to me, I don’t think he’s going to talk to anyone.”

Whoever Neil was, he was a boring conversation topic and Andrew could feel his mind drifting. He took another drink of his firewhiskey.

“Who won’t talk to anyone?” Nicky’s voice piped from over his shoulder, startling Andrew out of his thoughts, his hands flying instinctively to the knives sheathed in his armbands. 

Dan turned to reply, “Neil Josten.”

Nicky frowned, a puzzled expression crossing his features, “Never heard of him, what house is he in?”

“Gryffindor,” supplied Renee.

“Is he definitely in our year? Shit. I thought I knew everybody, why have none of you ever mentioned him?”

As Nicky continued to question the girls about Neil Josten and the mystery that he appeared to be to them all, Andrew quietly slipped away from the group.

One of the many things he disliked about the dungeons was the fact that it was underground, no windows, no roof.

He wasn’t allowed to smoke in his and Nicky’s room.

Originally, he had ignored Nicky’s rule. Nicky retaliated by purchasing a can of sickening air freshener and spraying it vigorously all over their room while wearing his elephant pajamas, a determined expression on his face as he wielded the can like a weapon. 

Andrew couldn’t step in their dorm for days the smell was so sickening. Nicky hadn’t seemed to have had a problem with the floral fruitiness of it and went about his business happily while Andrew slept on one of the crappy lounges in the common room. Another part of the dungeons Andrew hated were the couches. They were sleek, black, leather lounges with fancy green pillows and were the most uncomfortable fucking couches in the entirety of Hogwarts.

He passed the offending couches as he exited the dorm and then the common room. He was fairly certain that the only person who noticed him leave was Renee and she wasn’t going to say anything. 

He found himself instinctively travelling the familiar route to the astronomy tower, seeking solidarity, feeling.

It was the highest point of the castle and by default, his most frequent escape. He clambered onto the window sill, dangling his legs over the edge and letting himself feel the familiar swoop of his stomach as he basked in the height, the threat of falling. He let his head rest against the stone beside him, ignoring the scratch of the rough surface against his scalp. He fumbled with his lighter, fingers trembling in the cold, before holding a cigarette to his lips. Andrew preferred to not use his wand when it wasn’t necessary. Despite being perfectly capable, he still favored his fists and knives. Old habits die hard.

Being in the foster system for most of his life, Andrew had grown up with muggles. His first Hogwarts letter had been scoffed at and ripped in half by his current foster parents at the time. After that, whenever a letter would arrive Andrew would do the same, rip it in half and ignore it. He knew it was impossible. Even if there was, by some small chance, a school of magic, he had no money and no way of getting there. There was no point getting his hopes up.

Andrew had started at Hogwarts during fourth year, after he met Aaron by chance in London. The encounter had been entirely awkward and unremarkable as far as reunions went. They had spoken once before this chance meeting, on the phone. A year before their introduction in London, Aaron had learnt of Andrew’s existence and had managed to track down his current foster home. He hadn’t known how to use the phone, having grown up with magic and had screamed his greeting and explanation. Andrew had been shocked into silence for a couple minutes before he told him to fuck off and not contact him again. There were no more calls after that. He wasn’t going to drag Aaron into his life, neither of them really wanted that. 

After their first meeting in person Aaron managed to convince Andrew to come back to his and Nicky’s shared apartment, with Wymack as their official guardian although he was almost never there. 

A week later Andrew had dragged everything he owned into the guest room and that was that. Wymack had gotten him a job at a bar in Hogsmeade washing dishes so he could pay for his textbooks and rent and a month later Andrew was on the Hogwarts express.

The twins had been the talk of the school for a while, apparently it was rare to have new students in older years, whispers followed him and Aaron that year like the plague, “Another Minyard? Fuck one’s enough for me.” 

When questioned whether he wanted to be sorted with the first years or in Wymack’s office he had responded with a blank stare and silence, until Wymack sighed “Why did I even ask?”. The sorting hat hadn’t known what to do with him. It had seen Andrew as a challenge as it leafed through his mind, his actions. Andrew had sat on his hands in the effort not to rip the fucking thing straight off his head as it tried to deconstruct him; reminding him of the healer that Wymack had set him up with. Eventually the hat had settled on Slytherin for reasons Andrew didn’t know and didn’t care about.

He pulled the firewhiskey bottle out from his robes and placed it beside him, settling in for the night. He knew he wouldn’t be going back to his dorm anytime soon. He could only stand the intimacy, that was eight people in a room meant for two, for so long. 

Andrew’s eyes scanned the view before him, soon settling on a lone figure at the quidditch pitch; too far away to appear as anything other than a small black shape swooping in and out of the hoops. They appeared to be attempting to perform chaser drills by themselves as he could also make out what looked like a charmed quaffle. Who the fuck practiced quidditch in the middle of the night? In winter? If he had to guess, Andrew would say it was Kevin - but he knew for a fact that currently Kevin was sitting at Nicky’s desk, passed out with a bottle of vodka in front of him and in no shape to be on a broom, much less fly like this. Also, Kevin never practiced at night without Andrew.

He couldn’t be sure how long he sat there. He only knew that by the time the figure had landed, his fingers were numb and his cigarette had long ago tumbled from his frostbitten grip. His lips were almost certainly blue and his makeshift pajamas of a t-shirt and sweatpants provided no protection from the cold.

He dropped off the windowsill and onto the floor of the tower not long after the quidditch player retreated back into the castle, broom slung over their shoulder. Traces of dawn could be seen in the sky as Andrew padded barefoot back to his dorm, comforted by the knowledge that his room would certainly be empty by now. 

“Where did you go?” mumbled Nicky the minute he entered the room. His voice was slightly muffled by his pillow and groggy with sleep.

Andrew climbed into bed, not bothering to answer.

“What were you doing?” Nicky tried again.

A few long seconds passed.

“Nothing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like the idea of Nicky and Andrew in Slytherin together


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to anyone who commented on the last chapter or left kudos, I really appreciate it ! I'm going to alternate between Neil and Andrew's perspective, so here is a Neil chapter. I'm not completely happy with it but oh well.

Neil slipped into his and Jeremy’s dorm, careful not to make any noise as he shut the door behind him. He collapsed onto his bed, limbs too exhausted to make it a further ten paces to the shower.

It was stupid of him to risk this, to risk flying again. Even if it was in the middle of the night.

It wasn’t like this was a regular occurrence, he knew that most nights Kevin Day was at the quidditch pitch, Minyard in the stands. Tonight, had seemed like a golden opportunity. He had been running his usual route through the grounds and had glanced above him out of instinct to catch a glimpse of Day flying; ready for the familiar thrill of jealousy and desire.

The pitch had been deserted.

His head had whipped to the broom shed behind him and then back to the open sky. His entire being had been filled with longing he hadn’t felt, hadn’t allowed himself to feel, in so long.

Minutes later he was airborne.

The last time he had flown had been during his short stint at Durmstrang when he was eleven. When quidditch tryouts had been announced, Neil hadn’t been able to resist. He wasn’t yet used to the new life of glamours, running and false identities that his mother had fashioned and was desperate for some normality.

He made the team, how could he not have, when he had been training alongside Riko Moriyama not even a year before. Neil had figured he just wouldn’t mention it to his mother, who had made him promise a thousand times over that he would keep his head down and blend in. Those were her conditions for Neil attending a magic school.

Unsurprisingly she had found out, Neil having accidentally let it slip in his excitement during those Christmas holidays. The next day they were gone and after that Neil only attended muggle schools, his mum teaching him spells and defence herself.

That was until last year, when, during a struggle with his father, his mum was hit by a spell, Neil still didn’t know what it was. He hadn’t realised that it was killing her until days later. The spell had slowly been eating away at her organs and she had suffered silently while Neil drove them further and further away from his father, from anyone, from any possibility of getting her to a hospital in time, from any chance of her survival. She had died in the passenger seat of their car, by the beach; if you could call it that. The water had been grey and drab, no sand in sight, black rocks covering the ground, grazing the underside of your feet. He hadn’t felt the cuts at the time, but he had the scars to show today.

Neil had burned everything except his wand and his bag.

He had been hiding at a muggle school in London when Wymack had found him (he still wasn’t sure how) and offered him a place at Hogwarts. He had managed to get through his sixth year unnoticed, and planned to live out his seventh in the same manner. He knew he needed to start planning what he was going to do after, maybe travel abroad, maybe go back to Germany. He hadn’t thought about it though, not properly anyway. The truth was he didn’t want to leave. He didn’t want to leave his warm, four poster bed, the meals, the grounds, the magic, the quidditch. It was stupid of him to get attached, which was why he had promised himself that he wouldn’t make any friends when he started the year before. He hadn’t thought to protect himself from getting attached to Hogwarts itself.

And now, Neil didn’t want to do anything that would risk him leaving earlier than he had to, which was why he lay on his bed now, cursing himself for his indulgence earlier that evening.

He hadn’t noticed there was someone watching him at first and when he did it was too late. An all too familiar jolt of panic had run through him as his eyes settled on the figure at the astronomy tower. He had landed immediately. It was years of running, of suspicion, that sent his mind racing through lists of names, death eaters that his father knew who were yet to be locked in Azkaban. He knew it was far-fetched, that it had probably just been a student, that they probably hadn’t noticed him, couldn’t even tell who he was from that distance for he certainly couldn’t tell who they were. Despite this he could still hear his mother’s warnings, could feel the slap of her hand against his cheek and her snarled insults and reprimands.

He shouldn’t have let his guard down, it didn’t make a difference if Nathan was in Azkaban or free. He was still a constant threat, Neil and his mother were a top priority of his and while Nathan was in Azkaban, many of his people were not. Like Lola.

He would not go midnight flying again.

He would however, find out who had been watching him. After years of training with his mum, Neil was especially good at glamours and disillusionment charms. They were half the reason him and his mother had evaded his father for so long. That and his mother’s contacts at the ministry who had removed the trace from Neil. Neil’s current glamour was quite simple. His usually auburn hair was black, eyes a muddy brown and his skin smooth, no sign of the scars that littered his body. It took too much magic to change his appearance completely and left him weak, most of the time those spells wouldn’t hold for more than a couple hours.

Every morning Neil had trained himself to wake before Jeremy, just in case the glamours had worn off while he was sleeping and unaware. He spelled his curtains tight around him, taking every precaution. If anyone saw his real hair colour, even his eyes, they would know.

Nathan’s face was famous, so was his trade. As a teenager he had been an active supporter of Voldemort and one of the youngest death eaters. Unlike most of the death eaters, after Voldemort’s defeat, Nathan had eluded Azkaban and became an extremely successful and sought-after assassin. He not only killed for galleons, but for pleasure. When he was younger Neil had rocked on the floor of his bedroom, hands over his ears, trying to block out his father’s manic laugh and the screams of his victims, children, women, muggles; his father knew no limits. Their screams haunted Neil constantly, the soundtrack of his childhood, causing him to wake yelling in the night.

He wasn’t an idiot, he was always careful to cast silencing charms before he slept.

His father had found him once, curled up on his bed crying. He had taught Neil what he considered an appropriate lesson. He had taught Neil many ‘lessons’ and majority of his scars were constant reminders of them.

Absentmindedly, Neil ran his finger over the familiar puckered skin that was the bullet wound on his shoulder.

He sighed, flipping his pillow over, before lying down again. It didn’t look like he would be getting much sleep tonight.

-

Neil woke the next morning after a disjointed sleep to the sound of his alarm, signaling the commencement of the first day of classes. He grabbed his wand from under his pillow and murmured the incantation to stop it’s insistent buzzing.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, Jeremy was still snoring as he made his way to the bathroom.

He gazed at his reflection, immediately noticing that his hair was a few shades too light, edging towards a deep warm brown, rather than the cool black he had charmed it to be the morning before. He tapped his wand to his head, watching the black spread across his hair, starting from the roots and streaming outwards. His eyes appeared unchanged from the day prior, he tapped his wand under both of them as well, just in case, before changing into his uniform.

He had just finished knotting up his tie when Jeremy knocked on the bathroom door, having woken up, “You almost done Neil?”

“Yeah it’s all yours,” called Neil, throwing on his robes hurriedly, before unlocking the door.

Jeremy smiled at him warmly as he passed by, Neil returned this with a small smile of his own. This was what Jeremy was used to by now, polite but minimal conversation. He had initially tried to make friends with Neil, but had given up after a couple weeks. Neil didn’t blame him, he hadn’t exactly been the most welcoming or exciting roommate, he was sure Jeremy would have preferred to be rooming with anyone else. Regardless, he was always polite to Neil and respectful of his space and privacy. He didn’t resent Neil for rejecting his hand at friendship, which Neil was thankful for. If the circumstances were different Neil was sure he would really enjoy being closer with Jeremy. But they weren’t - and thankfully no one else had tried to approach him.

The common room was mostly deserted, except for Renee, who was heading for the portrait hole. Neil avoided Renee if he could. She made him uncomfortable, he wasn’t totally sure what it was. Maybe it was the cross permanently draped around her neck, maybe it was her soft face and welcoming smiles, maybe it was the dreamy quality she seemed to have about her. Whatever it was it gave Neil the creeps and he had made sure never to hold eye contact with her, lest she try and talk to him.

He couldn’t exactly turn around now, she had obviously seen him and he didn’t want his distrust of her to be obvious. He sucked in a short breath and walked to the portrait hole at what he hoped was a normal pace, with what he hoped was a casual stance. There was an awkward pause as they both arrived at the portrait hole at the same time.

“You go first,” he mumbled, eyes on the ground, gesturing for her to continue. He hoped it would pass off as shyness, which was what majority of Gryffindor assumed Neil was. Shy that is. When he did hear people talk about him - which wasn’t often - it was usually offhand comments or queries as to why he was in Gryffindor, if he could barely form two sentences.

Renee smiled at him brightly, it was impossible to look away, her presence was so…overwhelming. Neil couldn’t think of a better word. Her cropped, stark blonde hair with faded pastel tips, her strong posture, her patched robes; all of them demanded attention. Not in an obnoxious way, but in a way that made people curious, or in Neil’s case, cautious.

“Thank you, Neil,” she said sincerely, before stepping through.

Neil waited about ten seconds before following after, not wanting to have to walk beside her to breakfast; this small amount of contact was enough. Renee hadn’t really approached him or tried to speak to him before this, let alone grace him with one of her smiles, maybe she had felt sorry for him? Whatever it was, Neil decided to double his efforts of avoiding her, this encounter, combined with the stranger watching him last night, felt unsafe.

There was no sign of Renee in the corridors, Neil could breathe normally again as he made his way to breakfast. He cursed himself for allowing her to get to him so much, but he just couldn’t shake it.

He sat down at his usual spot at the Gryffindor table, right down the end, far away from most of his year. The closest people were a group of second years, about a meter down from him.

He was busy slathering some strawberry jam onto his toast when he sensed someone sit down beside him. He twisted his head to see Allison Reynolds take a seat uncomfortably close to his left, Dan and Renee taking seats opposite him.

He blinked in confusion at Allison and then the other two girls. Dan smiled at him warmly, “Hey, it’s Neil right?”

Neil nodded, unsure of where this was going.

“I’m Dan and this is Renee and Allison,” Dan continued.

“I know who you are,” Neil kept his tone neutral, waiting to see what they wanted.

“Great!” exclaimed Dan, “We just noticed that you were sitting here by yourself and thought you might want company.”

“Um, thanks,” said Neil, “But I don’t really.”

Dan’s smile faltered and Allison scoffed beside him, “Well tough luck, you’re getting it.” She then reached over Neil to grab some bacon, the scent of her perfume washing over him.

Renee frowned slightly at Allison, before turning to Neil, “You moved here last year didn’t you Neil?”

It was an open sort of question, one that didn’t really require a detailed answer. Renee had given Neil the option to just nod if he didn’t feel like elaborating. But there was also the silent question of – why?

“Yeah, my parents were muggles and I grew up in London. They didn’t want me to attend a magic school, but they died in a car accident last year and things changed. So, when Hogwarts contacted me again, I accepted,” he gave them the false story he had fabricated before coming here last year, just in case anyone asked him questions. He had more details ready if extra questions were asked. It was better than just nodding and letting it go, it gave them less reason to be suspicious about who he was, and maybe they would lose interest. It was the most he had talked to anyone his age since he first arrived, a little over a year ago.

Renee looked as though she didn’t completely believe him, but she didn’t say anything, “I’m sorry about your parents.”

Neil nodded and took a bite of his toast.

“So, what do you have first up today Neil?” Dan asked, not so subtly changing the subject.

“Charms,” Neil responded automatically, he already had his timetable perfectly memorized, as well as where they were. He liked knowing exactly where he would be at all times, and therefore where his closest exit would be. He could never be too careful. He had spent most of last year exploring the castle during the night, creating a map that contained all of the passages and shortcuts. He kept this stuffed in the bottom draw of his bedside table, along with his money and binder. It was protected with every single locking and privacy charm Neil knew and he seriously doubted even the professors could break into it.

“Oh, same here!” Dan exclaimed, “We can walk together from Gryffindor?” it was a statement, but she said it like a question, giving Neil the option to say no.

He wasn’t sure what came over him, if it was her kind eyes, or earnest expression, maybe it was the fact that she gave him an option, something he wasn’t used to. “Yeah, okay.”

“Great!” Dan exclaimed, “I’ll meet you in the common room?”

Neil nodded, before wolfing down the last bite of his toast, eager to leave.

“Bye Josten!” Allison called after his retreated back, he raised his hand in response.

He wasn’t sure why they were talking to him, the most popular girls in Gryffindor – and arguably their entire year. They would probably lose interest once they satisfied the curiosity they suddenly appeared to have with him. He decided it would be worse if he rejected them. If he indulged their probing and questioning, soon enough they would realise that there wasn’t anything exciting about him and would leave him alone again.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t see anyone in front of him until he was stumbled straight into what felt like a rock. He glanced down and saw Andrew Minyard glaring up at him. It was strangely satisfying, being taller than someone in his year for once. That satisfaction quickly dissipated as Minyard looked him up and down, as though he was a piece of gum under his shoe – a slight inconvenience. There was no recognition in his eyes, because of course he would have never noticed Neil.

“Watch where you’re going…” he broke off, waiting for Neil to supply him with a name.

“Josten.”

A flicker of recognition at this, “Watch where you’re going _Josten_ ,” he said emphasizing his name but still managing to sound bored as he swept past him.

This was the most anyone had spoken to him since he first arrived and Neil wasn’t sure what to make of it. It felt like things were changing - for better or worse? He didn’t know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Operation 'make friends with Neil' begins. I probably won't update for a week or so because I'm going away and won't have wifi.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a super short chapter, I'm sorry. The next one will be at least twice as long.

Andrew dropped himself onto the empty seat beside Kevin at the Ravenclaw table, ignoring the scowls sent his way. He often switched between the Slytherin and Ravenclaw tables, depending on his mood; some days Kevin and Aaron were more bearable than Nicky and sometimes they weren’t.

Nicky hadn’t stopped talking his ear off about Neil Josten the entire morning. Apparently, Allison had pointed Neil out to Nicky in the Gryffindor group portrait and Nicky had lost his shit – “I swear to god I have never seen a finer piece of ass in my life, excluding Erik of course, maybe we could share him?”

Andrew had promptly pushed him into the wall, satisfied with the echoing thunk of his head against the brick.

“Ravenclaw quidditch tryouts are tomorrow,” said Kevin, he was looking at Aaron when he said it.

“And?” Aaron didn’t bother looking up from his plate.

Kevin let out a small noise of frustration, “And, if you think I’m letting you back on the team you’d better get yourself down to the pitch after potions and practice, I’ve booked it for us.”

Aaron scoffed, “Like I even need to try out.”

“Just because you were on the team last year, doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed a position. I will do what’s best for the team,” Kevin growled.

“Yeah, yeah,” Aaron rolled his eyes.

Kevin would pick Aaron for the team, he wouldn’t risk upsetting Andrew and all three of them knew it.

Regardless, once they were excused from potions, the three of them headed down to the pitch where the rest of their group were waiting for them. It had been controversial at first, when they had all started practicing together, a mix of students from all different houses and all different teams. If anyone but Kevin Day had tried to book the pitch for personal matches it would have been denied. But because he was who he was the professors had agreed with no hesitation.

They took their positions, Andrew in one goal, Renee in the other. They generally stuck to the same teams. Andrew, Aaron, Dan, Matt and Erik against Renee, Kevin, Allison, Nicky and Katelyn. Technically Matt and Allison were beaters, but they played chaser in these small games of theirs so as there were two chasers per team. These games were different to Kevin’s midnight practices, which showed a more honest side of Kevin’s quidditch playing. Here Kevin was playing with and against a team, while in the evenings his only opponent was himself.

Andrew let his hands hang limply by his side as Kevin scored the first goal of the match through the middle hoop. The others were all too used to Andrew by now and gave no reaction.

Kevin on the other hand was unable to help himself and let out a frustrated “Andrew!”

“Yes,” Andrew drummed his gloved fingers along his leg.

“Please, trials are tomorrow, the least you could do is try,” Kevin begged.

Andrew scowled at him, “You know I hate that word.”

Kevin sighed in defeat and turned his broom away, heading down the other end of the pitch where Dan and Allison were fighting for the quaffle. He let his eyes wander over the grounds and accidentally met Katelyn’s as she flew below him in search of the snitch, she looked away too quickly for him to even blink at her.

He was quickly distracted from Katelyn by a lone figure with a broom heading towards them, Andrew raised an eyebrow; curious. Most students disapproved of these games and were sure that tactics and strategies were being given away.

Dan signaled for them to land.

He wasn’t surprised to find Neil Josten approaching them cautiously, eyes flickering to all of them and lingering on Kevin for a few seconds too long. Andrew didn’t trust him.

“Neil, you made it!” exclaimed Dan, Neil didn’t respond so Dan continued, addressing the rest of them, “I thought Neil could join us for a friendly match, he hasn’t played in a proper game before so go easy on him.”

“But now we’re uneven,” Aaron said.

“That’s fine!” exclaimed Nicky, “He can play chaser with Dan, and Matt can play on our team instead as beater. You’re heaps better than me anyway it’ll be an even match.”

Aaron frowned, “It won’t be an even match with dead weight on our team.”

“I don’t have to play,” said Neil, who looked as though he was regretting the decision to already.

“Don’t mind Aaron,” cut in Renee, glancing at Aaron in disappointment, “It’ll be fine.”

Renee’s word was final as they resumed their positions with their new addition.

Andrew was paying no mind to the game, lazily circling the hoops as he pulled his cigarette packet from the pocket of his jeans. He didn’t like Neil Josten. He didn’t like his calculating stares or his defensive posture. He didn’t like his casual dismissal of Andrew and his strange curiosity with Kevin. How and why had he remained so anonymous until now? There were an unlimited list of reasons as to why he was here now, with them. And most of these involved the Moriyama’s.

A loud, obnoxious series of whoops and cheers drew Andrew’s attention to the other end of the pitch. He could see his teammates clapping Neil on the back and cheering. Neil looked uncomfortable, which could (and was probably intended to) pass off as modesty. To Andrew Neil didn’t look modest; he looked exposed, caught out. Renee looked slightly shocked, but was smiling nonetheless. She was an exceptionally good keeper and was not often scored on so quickly, especially not by a novice. Either Neil Josten had exceptional natural talent, or, he had lied to Dan and played before.

The match continued, and the next time Kevin went to score, Andrew slammed the quaffle up the pitch where it met its mark; colliding directly into Neil’s chest and sending him backwards several meters.

“Don’t be a dick Andrew!” called Nicky as he immediately flew to Neil’s side, placing a hand on his shoulder. Neil shrugged off both his hand and his concern, seemingly unbothered by it all. But the next time their eyes met Neil sent a spectacular glare Andrew’s way. This could be interesting.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is kind of a filler chapter, sorry it's been a bit of a slow start. The story picks up from here though! Thank you to everyone who's commented or left kudos, I really appreciate it. Sorry I don't reply to some, I just feel like my responses get super repetitive and that annoys me.

This was a terrible idea, Neil thought, as he scored on Renee a second time. He had thought it would be okay, or he had tried to tell himself that. It’s not like he was _really_ playing, this wasn’t a proper match and there was no crowd to see him play. It had just been too tempting when Dan had offered for him to join them during Charms.

It was easier to pretend he had never played, lest they start asking questions. He was determined to not give anything away. His current actions contradicted this silent promise as he batted the quaffle out of Allison’s hands and passed to Dan. The thrill of playing again overwhelmed his survival instincts even as his mother’s warnings played on repeat in his mind.

They played on for another ten minutes before Erik caught the snitch, securing the win for Neil’s team. Once on the ground he was greeted with copious claps on the back and hoots of approval. His body was tense and he struggled not to respond with violence. He was unused to innocent, friendly touches and associated a clap on the back with his father’s harsh hands and the promise of something far more unpleasant.

He headed back up to the Gryffindor dormitory, opting to change and shower there despite Matt and Nicky telling him to just join them in the locker room.

He noticed that someone was following him immediately. Andrew Minyard had stood to the side while the others congratulated him on his performance, watching him with sharp, curious eyes. Neil didn’t think Andrew knew who he was, but he also didn’t think that the quaffle that had winded him half an hour ago was an accident. Andrew was, and rightly so, wary of Neil. As he walked Neil sorted his thoughts and prepared himself for the interrogation he was about to receive, he knew Neil Josten’s story, and had since before he stepped foot in the castle.

Andrew stayed a couple of meters behind him the entire walk back to the castle; the rustle of his robes against the grass indicating to Neil where he was without him having to turn around.

Once inside the castle however, Neil didn’t have to wait long before Andrew grasped him roughly by the shoulder and hauled him into a deserted alcove. Within seconds he was backed against the cold brick wall; Andrew’s forearm against his throat, his other hand fisted in his sweat dampened shirt. Neil knew how to get out of the hold; knew that there was just enough room between their bodies for him to knee Andrew in the thigh, causing his grip to falter, giving Neil the time to grab his arm and twist it backwards. But Neil didn’t do this.

He let Andrew restrain him, lightly choke him and waited for him to speak.

Andrew’s expression was blank as he studied Neil’s face with cool indifferent eyes. “Who are you?”

Neil raised an eyebrow, “Neil Josten.”

Andrew’s mouth twisted into a slow smirk that was somehow worse than his blank stare. He stepped forward, closing the gap that would’ve let Neil escape. He was now truly confined and Andrew’s breath was hot against his face as he murmured, “Now, why don’t I believe you?”

Neil was silent, reevaluating the man in front of him and the threat he posed.

Andrew pressed his arm a little harder into Neil’s throat, his head tilted up as he met Neil’s eyes. Neil let out a choked gasp as he fought for air. As Andrew stared at Neil, a flood of panic rushed through him, were his glamours fading? His panic was unfounded and irrational, his glamour was guaranteed to hold for at least another ten hours. But with Andrew here, scrutinizing him so carefully, he couldn’t help it.

“I don’t trust you and I don’t like you,” Andrew stated calmly before releasing his hold on Neil, who rubbed a hand across his throat and stumbled away from the wall.

“The feelings mutual,” Neil responded, when he felt he could speak without his voice cracking.

Andrew was unimpressed by this retort and continued. “We are going out Friday night.”

Neil didn’t need to ask who Andrew was referring to when he said ‘we’. Andrew’s group was well known and had a less then respectable reputation.

Neil didn’t know why this concerned him, “So?”

“You’re coming with us,” Andrew said.

Neil couldn’t think of anything worse. “And if I don’t want to?”

“Nicky will come and get you at eight,” Andrew ignored Neil’s question and headed back into the corridor.

Neil fell back against the wall and pressed the heel of his hands to his eyes until his vision was black with red spots. He just needed to get Andrew off his back, convince him that Neil Josten wasn’t a threat. He could do that. He was well versed in the art of deception. He had three nights to prepare for Friday and then he could put an end to the mess he had gotten himself into today and go back to being invisible.

By Friday evening Neil had almost forgotten about Andrew. He was bent over his history of magic essay, chewing the tip of his quill in between scratching out dates and definitions. Dan and Matt were opposite him, doing their divination homework. Neil thought that Matt was probably in the Gryffindor common room more than his own house. The two of them had taken to joining Neil in front of the fire at night to study. Renee and Allison were out in Hogsmeade shopping, it was generally a lot louder when they were around; this was mostly due to Allison. The seventh years were allowed to go to Hogsmeade any time they pleased, so long as they returned before their curfew of 11pm. He had spent the last three days confused as to why they all were hanging around him so much and he had narrowed it down to pity. He supposed it could’ve been worse.

He was flipping through his textbook, not entirely sure what he was looking for, when there was a crash behind him. He whipped around to find Nicky hastily rearranging the lamp that he had knocked over, his expression sheepish.

Matt looked less than pleased to see him, “What are you doing here Nicky?”

Nicky grinned, “Don’t stress Matt, I’m here for Neil.”

Dan stood up frowning, “You are not taking him out with you.”

Nicky’s grin faltered as he looked from Matt to Dan to Neil. “Neil’s a big boy, he can make his own decisions.”

Neil brushed off Dan and Matt’s concerns, he had handled far worse than Andrew, “I’ll be fine, don’t worry about me.”

Matt grabbed Neil’s arm as he went to walk past them, Neil shook him off but waited to listen. “Neil, I’m serious, you don’t have to go with them.”

“I thought you guys were friends?” Neil looked between Nicky and Matt.

Matt grimaced, “It’s complicated.”

Neil shrugged off his concern, “I’ll be back before curfew.”

“Actually,” Nicky chimed in, “You won’t.”

Neil turned to stare at him, his expression disbelieving, “Sorry, but I’m not being locked out of the castle.” The castle was completely locked up the minute the clock hit 11, this was why the curfew was so effective. No one fancied sleeping outside in the cold and waking up to Filch looming over them, promising a week’s worth of detentions.

“We won’t be! We’re spending the night at my place in Hogsmeade.”

Neil frowned, “Isn’t that against the rules?” He didn’t really care, but following the rules meant less attention was drawn to him, he had never received a warning let alone a detention, he wasn’t sure half the professors could match his name to his face if they tried.

Nicky shrugged, “Usually; but Andrew has a deal with Wymack.”

“And that deal extends to all of you?”

“Yeah,” Nicky chucked a glossy black bag at Neil, who caught it easily, “And whoever else he wants to bring.”

Neil wondered if Matt had been invited before, it would explain his warnings and discomfort with Andrew’s group. He peered inside the bag Nicky had thrown him and found a selection of black clothes.

Neil looked up and finally noticed that Nicky had ditched his robes and was dressed in dark muggle clothing. Nicky smiled at him, “Go get changed, I’ll wait for you here.”

Neil turned to walk up the stairs to his dorm, but Nicky stepped in front of him quickly as though suddenly remembering something. He blocked Neil’s path and dropped his voice to a whisper so as Matt and Dan wouldn’t overhear him. “Oh, and Neil, ditch the glamour.”

Neil felt his eyes widen in shock, he struggled to keep his expression from giving him away, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Nicky sighed in exasperation, his expression strained “Come on man, the glamour on your eyes, Andrew can tell.”

Neil couldn’t think of a response, Nicky’s expression darkened and he took a step towards Neil. “Look, just do it, you won’t like Andrew’s reaction if you don’t.”

“He doesn’t scare me.”

“He should,” were Nicky’s last words before he turned away, raising his voice once more, “Go get changed Josten! If I have to look at your oversized robes for one more minute I may just lose my lunch.”

Neil hurried up the stairs and deposited the contents of the bag onto his bed as soon as he reached his room, Jeremy was sitting at his desk and twisted around at the sound of his entrance, raising a curious eyebrow at Neil, “Going out?”

“Something like that,” Neil muttered, throwing the bag in the bin and scooping the clothes into his arms before locking himself in the bathroom.

Neil couldn’t remember the last time he had worn clothes that actually fit him, he supposed Nicky must have charmed them to adjust to his size, he couldn’t think of any other reason why they would fit him so perfectly. His new black jeans clung to him like a second skin and through the material was thick enough to hide his scars Neil still couldn’t help but feel extremely uncomfortable. His shirt was long sleeved and artfully loose, the material so thin that Neil checked the mirror three times to ensure his scars were hidden. Once he finished lacing up the sleek combat boots, Neil straightened up and took a deep breath.

He picked up his discarded robes and pulled his wand out of the pocket. He shut his eyes and tapped it underneath them, removing the glamour. After a long moment Neil opened his eyes and immediately gripped the sink to steady himself as he was faced with the harsh, icy blue. He turned away from the mirror, refusing to look for any longer. He could remember clearly the first time his mother had worked her magic on him, turning his auburn hair blonde and his blue eyes green. He knew that she had been disgusted by him; couldn’t bear to look at his true face. He was the spitting image of his father. Once, when he was fifteen, they had forgotten to reapply the glamours in their haste to escape his father’s men. He had woken up to his mother screeching and hitting him, ripping out his hair; delusional with rage and fear. He had been confused until he caught sight of the chunks of his hair on the ground and was met not with the mousy brown he was supposed to have, but his natural hair. He had quickly cast the spells himself and he and his mother had never spoken of the incident again.

He stalked out of the bathroom and threw his robes onto his bed, ignoring Jeremy’s low whistle as he pushed through the door.

Nicky’s mouth dropped open as he spotted Neil coming down the stairs, “Damn Neil, you clean up good.”

“Are we going?” Neil didn’t wait for a response and walked past Nicky to the portrait hole, waving his hand at Matt and Dan before stepping through. He could hear Nicky scrambling to catch up behind him.

Nicky fell in step beside him as they walked through the castle. He twisted his head, not caring for subtlety, to look at Neil’s eyes and a genuine expression of confusion crossed his face.

“Seriously? I thought you were going to have some sort of messed up eye disease, or like I don’t know red eyes?”

Neil was silent. Nicky took this as encouragement to continue, “Why do you cover them up? Your eyes are really nice, a lot nicer than the muddy brown they-”

“Nicky,” Neil growled, turning to glare at him.

Nicky raised up his hands in mock surrender, “Okay, okay, sorry I asked.”

Already he was losing sight of who ‘Neil’ was supposed to be, letting his anger take over. Without his personas and scripts, he was unknowable. It had been so long since he had reached past his countless false identities. If he wasn’t Neil Josten right now, then he certainly wasn’t Nathaniel Wesninski nor did he ever plan to be. Nathaniel Wesninski had burned alongside his mother, the only part of him that had been remotely close to good and the only reason he had held on to his name; the first thing she gave him.

He was furious with himself, with Andrew; angry with himself for letting his guard drop and angry with Andrew for helping. He struggled to retain who he had crafted Neil Josten to be, but all that he could find was simmering rage and resentment and beneath that something else. A feeling that had been gnawing at him all week and one he didn’t want to name yet.

“Neil?” Nicky was waving a hand in front of his face.

“I’m fine.” Neil blurted out quickly, cursing himself for letting his mind drift.

“You sure?” Nicky giggled nervously, “You looked a bit out of it for a second there.”

“I’m fine,” Neil repeated, stepping out onto the grounds where he could spot Andrew, Aaron and Kevin waiting for them.

Andrew stepped forward to meet them, crowding into Neil’s personal space and pulling his chin down so he was eye level with Andrew. He let Andrew study his eyes, ignoring Aaron’s impatient grumbling.

Once he had looked his fill he released Neil, “Don’t wear them again when you’re with us.”

Neil didn’t plan on going out with them again, but he didn’t bother saying anything.

Kevin took a step towards Neil, expression determined, before Andrew stuck out his arm to stop him. Kevin could have easily pushed him aside but he obediently stopped.

“Not tonight Kevin, you can have him tomorrow.” There was an unspoken ‘tonight he’s mine’ and Neil didn’t know how to feel about that.

Kevin nodded; a little reluctantly and turned to follow Andrew as they walked down out of the gates and headed for Hogsmeade.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will continue with Neil's perspective. Some scenes in this au are going to match up with canon (Andrew asking Neil to show his real eyes), I am really just deciding as I go what I put in.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the wait on this chapter, I just found it really difficult to finish and was never quite happy with it. Thank you so much to anyone who left kudos or comments on the last chapter !!

They turned off the main strip of Hogsmeade just after passing Zonkos. It was an unfamiliar route and Neil was immediately aware; mapping out each turn they took in his head in case a quick escape was needed.

The lighting was getting dimmer and the crowds of people they had been pushing past dwindled as they continued.

After about a twenty-minute trek Andrew finally stopped walking. He had been two meters in front of the rest of them the whole time. The street they had found themselves in looked run down and deserted. The windows of shops were barricaded over and neon signs were flickering in and out, crackling with old magic. The building they had stopped in front of was crumbling and looked as though it might collapse any second. The sign - that was almost unreadable thanks to crude graffiti - read Eden’s Twilight in neat cursive. Some of the letters flashed bright purple occasionally.

Neil was starting to think they were all looking a bit overdressed. He tried to imagine what they could be doing here; something illegal maybe? He didn’t have to wait for long; Aaron stepped forwards and pushed open the door; Neil couldn’t see anything but darkness as Aaron disappeared inside. The others followed until it was just Andrew and Neil standing by the door. Andrew raised an eyebrow at him and gestured for him to go first. When Neil showed no sign of moving, Andrew took a step towards him; his smile mocking, “Scared?”

Neil knew that Andrew was trying to bait him, to get a rise, but he still felt a small flash of indignation.

“If you want to scare me,” Neil said carefully, “You’ll have to do a lot better than this.”

“Is that a challenge?” Andrew responded, tone mildly curious.

Neil let out a harsh laugh that reminded him of his father and his voice was flat as he replied, “No, just a fact.”

Andrew looked confused for a moment as he studied Neil’s face and Neil hastily schooled his expression.

The confusion was gone so quickly Neil couldn’t be sure he hadn’t imagined it. Andrew now appeared unaffected by his response. “Now are you going in or what? Kevin’s going to be out here in a minute wondering what’s taking so long and I don’t want to have to deal with him until he’s got at least five drinks into him.”

Andrew was giving him an out, Neil could leave right now; he had a feeling Andrew knew that he could find his way back. But it wasn’t a permanent out, Neil had piqued Andrew’s curiosity and if it wasn’t satisfied tonight then he would come knocking again later.

Neil didn’t think he could physically answer Andrew, it was difficult enough resisting the urge to punch him without speaking.

He shouldered past him, satisfied as Andrew stumbled back a few paces and pushed through the door.

Andrew’s prediction had been correct and Neil bumped straight into Kevin as soon as the door shut behind him and Andrew; who had managed to slip through without him as Neil hadn’t bothered holding the door open.

They found themselves in a narrow corridor with deep red, velvet walls, carpeted with plush black fur, so soft that Neil almost felt bad as he crushed it under his boots. He couldn’t say he was really surprised at the overall wealthy look of the place. Andrew’s lot (Kevin in particular) didn’t really seem like the sort of people who would find their getaway in seedy, run down bars. This place looked exclusive and well managed (and hidden), Neil could sense the protective magic pulsing around him. At the end of the hallway was a door, guarded by a bouncer dressed in smart black robes. It seemed Aaron and Nicky had already gone ahead.

Neil followed Andrew towards the door and with Kevin at his back he felt closed in, trapped. He guessed that this was Andrew’s intention, everything he did seemed deliberate, calculating. Andrew bumped fists with the bouncer and was let straight through. Neil on the other hand was stopped as he tried to follow, a meaty hand shoving him backwards. He immediately stepped out of range of the bouncer’s fists and gritted his teeth while Kevin patiently waited for the bouncer to wave his wand over Neil. Neil wasn’t sure what he was checking for – weapons maybe? But he apparently didn’t find anything and Neil and Kevin were waved through not even a moment later.

Andrew was waiting for them on the other side of the door, where Neil was assaulted by pulsing lights and thumping music. They were standing on what looked like the second level of a nightclub. If Neil craned his neck he could see over the barrier of the second floor, down to the first, which housed the main bar and dancefloor.

Neil figured they were in a VIP area of sorts, if the small number of witches and wizards surrounding them were anything to go by. Not to mention the sleek expensive looking lounges and house elves distributing drinks. It was a stark contrast to the floor below, which was packed with all sorts of witches, wizards and creatures.

Nicky grabbed Neil’s arm and pulled him away from the railing and towards a booth that Andrew, Aaron and Kevin were already sat at, they must have headed straight over. Nicky slid into the empty space beside Aaron and Neil stood awkwardly, not sure where to sit.

“You look a bit lost Neil,” Andrew commented with a mocking grin, before standing up. “A few drinks should loosen you up,” and with that he headed towards the bar.

Neil stayed where he was until Kevin gestured impatiently for him to follow Andrew. They had been there barely ten minutes and already Neil was sick of going along with them, he longed to fight back, show them who they were dealing with. Nicky thought he should be scared of Andrew? Nicky didn’t know the first thing about him and neither did the rest of them. If they did, they would be running in the other direction, probably towards the aurors.

He strode after Andrew regardless, trying to reign in his frustration. Losing control was not an option.

The bartender looked a bit older than them and greeted Andrew with a familiar smile, which morphed into shock as he spotted Neil, he managed to school his expression quickly however. Andrew nodded at him and began rattling off an order.

“New friend Andrew?” he asked as he began making their drinks.

“Something like that,” Andrew replied dryly, “Roland this is Neil. Neil, Roland,” he said, waving a hand between the two of them.

“Andrew doesn’t bring new folk round here often, nice to meet you Neil,” Roland offered Neil a broad grin.

Neil smiled weakly in return as Roland continued, “What do you usually drink?”

“I don’t drink,” this wasn’t entirely true but there was no way he was drinking with Andrew and Kevin. Andrew scoffed at him, Neil didn’t bother turning to look.

“You sure?” Roland asked.

Neil gave him a blank stare and Roland backed off, “Butterbeer it is then.”

He would have preferred water, he didn’t really like sweet things, but he couldn’t be bothered to say so.

To onlookers Neil probably looked distracted; Andrew probably (hopefully) thought that he wasn’t paying close attention to him or Roland. To onlookers it probably seemed as though Neil was paying attention to the tables of witches closest to them, rather than the bar at his back and the wizards at his side. Andrew probably thought that Neil missed the nod he gave Roland, missed the flask that Andrew pulled from his jacket pocket, so fast that anyone else _would_ have missed it. But Neil wasn’t anyone and he was on high alert tonight, there was a reason he was still alive today; a reason he and his mother had evaded his father for so long. He was overly cautious and he knew this, but it came in handy in moments like these as he watched from the corner of his eye as Andrew took their tray of drinks from Roland and in one swift and near invisible moment deposited the contents of the flask into Neil’s butterbeer. 

Neil wanted to shove the tray out of Andrew’s hands and hear the satisfactory smash of the glasses. He wanted to pluck his drink off the tray and throw it in Andrew’s face.

He couldn’t say he was _really_ surprised. He had been expecting something like this. None of his anger showed on his face, he was still in exactly the same position that he had been since they sat down at the bar, slumped in his seat facing away from Andrew but not so far away that he couldn’t see him and Roland. He only moved after Andrew shoved him, none too gently, with his foot. He stood up to follow Andrew back to their booth, ignoring Roland’s “Nice to meet you Neil.”

Nicky turned to Andrew the minute they sat down. It was clear he was struggling to keep his expression light as he murmured, “What did you put it in? It better not be illegal.” It took Neil a moment to realize that Nicky was speaking German and was clearly under the impression that Neil didn’t understand.

He morphed his expression into one of confusion as Andrew replied, “I probably shouldn’t tell you then, so you can have deniability.” He then proceeded to start handing out the drinks. Kevin rolled his eyes at the German and grabbed an extra drink off the tray, it was obvious he was oblivious to the details of their conversation. Aaron however was listening attentively.

Nicky sighed, “Just tell me, I know that Aaron knows.”

Andrew expression was blank, “Well then he can tell you.”

Nicky turned to Aaron expectantly. Aaron waved a dismissive hand at Nicky, “It’s just Veritaserum, it won’t hurt him.”

Neil definitely hadn’t been planning on actually drinking his butterbeer, but now he was even less inclined. So, Andrew thought he was lying about something; that didn’t really narrow things down. Everything about him was a lie, from his name to his dyed roots.

Neil kept his tone neutral as he asked, “Are you done with your secret conversation?”

Andrew’s mouth quirked slightly, bordering on an amused smile. He wouldn’t be looking so smug if he knew his plan for the evening was about to go to shit, Neil thought darkly.

“Yes, quite done,” Andrew responded before lifting up his own drink, “Cheers.”

Neil didn’t move to lift his mug so Andrew leant over to touch his glass to Neil’s before taking a large sip. When Neil didn’t start drinking with the rest of them, Andrew shook his head in mock disappointment, “Too good to drink with us Neil?”

Neil was done with pretending (at least for the most part), “Do you think I’m fucking stupid?”

Andrew’s expression immediately lost its mocking tone, his eyes suddenly more alert; or maybe he had been alert this whole time and had decided to lose the nonchalant pretense. Nicky gulped down his drink nervously. Aaron looked as though he wanted to be anywhere else and Kevin was studiously ignoring them all.

“Do you really want me to answer that?” Andrew eventually decided on after studying Neil for several long seconds.

“I don’t know what you think you know about me, but if you think you’re going to get the answers you want by spiking my drink you can think again,” Neil shoved his untouched butterbeer towards Andrew, the liquid splashing over the sides and onto the table.

Andrew schooled his expression into his trademark blank mask, but not before Neil caught the flash of surprise that crossed his face. He gestured for the others to leave, Nicky made to protest, but Aaron grabbed him and hauled him up before he could.

Once they were out of earshot Andrew began to talk, “I’ve asked you this once and I’m going to ask you again, who are you?”

“And I already told you,” Neil ground out.

“Nope,” Andrew tutted, “Not good enough, try again.”

“Why are you so interested anyway?” Neil wasn’t sure if he should be asking this, but his curiosity was getting the better of him.

“I’m not interested, I’m keeping a promise,” Andrew responded vaguely, before leaning over the table and speaking so low that Neil could hardly hear him, “You don’t add up, I’m just trying to put the pieces together and see if you’re a threat.”

Neil scoffed, “A threat to who?”

Andrew’s gaze flickered for the briefest moment to where Kevin was standing at the edge of the dancefloor, Aaron and Nicky lost somewhere in the crowd.

Neil’s eyes widened in disbelief, “Kevin?”

“Does the name Moriyama mean anything to you?” Andrew pressed on.

Neil was shocked into silence for a few moments, processing this new information. Andrew didn’t wait for him to respond.

“I paid Gryffindor a visit yesterday.”

Neil froze, he knew that there was no way Andrew would be able to get into his safe, it was too heavily guarded, it even took _him_ at least ten minutes to unlock. He should’ve guessed that Andrew would go snooping though.

“Jeremy wouldn’t have let you in,” Neil blurted out. He could feel himself panicking, preparing to run. This was an interrogation and barely two minutes in he was cracking under pressure.

Andrew was unimpressed, “He didn’t have to, your door was unlocked.”

Neil silently cursed Jeremy and his trusting nature.

“That safe of yours is locked up pretty tight,” he commented idly, “even I couldn’t get into it.”

Neil let out a small sigh of relief, that at least was comforting. He had already known that Andrew couldn’t have gotten in. Regardless, confirmation of this steadied him.

Andrew’s next words however, shattered his calm. “You left something out on your desk though, a binder. Or should I say shrine?”

Neil struggled to maintain his composure. He was a fucking idiot, his mother would kill him if she could see this. If Andrew had searched the back of the binder, he would find all his muggle money, his passports, names, his mother’s contacts. It wouldn’t be too hard to put two and two together. “It’s not what you think,” he managed to choke out, fear gripping his throat and lacing his words.

Andrew glared at him, “Really? Because I think you have an extremely unhealthy obsession with two certain quidditch stars and from what I saw this could go one of two ways. Either you’re a pervert with a hard on for Riko and Kevin. Or, you’re a spy for the Moriyamas. I would bet on the latter considering the amount of money stashed away in the back of your binder.”

Neil processed this for a few moments, letting the relief wash over him; Andrew wasn’t close at all. Granted, he was closer than anyone else had ever gotten. But still, he could work with this. He was suddenly feeling slightly hysterical and he couldn’t control the small bubble of laughter that escaped his mouth. Andrew’s expression was incredulous as Neil finally spoke, voice thick with amusement and disbelief, “You think I’m a spy?”

Andrew obviously did not appreciate being laughed at and his expression darkened.

Neil kept his face neutral and chose his next words carefully, “I’m not a threat to Kevin.”

“No?” Andrew did not sound convinced.

“No,” Neil confirmed, “But in answer to your original question, the name Moriyama does mean something to me, just not in the way you think.”

“I’m listening,” Andrew said after a few moments of silence.

What Neil needed right now was time. Time to figure out what he was going to tell Andrew and what he wasn’t. Time to create the perfect half-truth.

Neil glanced around the club, now in full swing, before turning back to Andrew.

“I can’t talk about it here, it’s too public.”

Andrew scoffed, “No one can hear us.”

“I can’t be too careful,” Neil shrugged. “How about I offer you a deal? Meet me tomorrow night at the pitch and I’ll tell you what you want to know. If you aren’t satisfied with it and still think I’m a danger to Kevin, I’ll leave within the week.”

Andrew let Neil finish and was then silent for a few minutes, studiously looking away from Neil and at the bar while he was (hopefully) considering Neil’s offer.

He finally turned his body back to Neil. “Fine,” he said coolly, “But if I find out you’re lying Josten I will kill you.”

He didn’t wait for Neil’s response, jumping up immediately and pushing through the crowds towards the dancefloor, presumably to collect Nicky, Aaron and Kevin. Neil waited by the booth and forced himself to breath evenly, what had he gotten himself into?

He was definitely going to need the full 24 hours he was getting to come up with something believable if he wanted to finish the year at Hogwarts. His mother’s voice was screaming at him to run, to leave now while Andrew was distracted, hide until morning and then grab his safe, steal a broom and _go._

Despite his internal struggle, his feet remained firmly planted in one spot, which was where he was when Andrew appeared minutes later, Kevin, Nicky and Aaron in tow and began leading them towards the exit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked the chapter :)


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